APM Terminals’ aggressive expansion into Latin America, Africa and Asia is creating demand for managers and industry experts with special skills which the MAGNUM program has been designed to fill.

APM Terminals CEO Kim Fejfer and other senior executives attending the graduation ceremony of the MAGNUM Class of 2011 in Delft, Netherlands, saw the first MAGNUM group to have completed new global business coursework introduced in partnership with ESADE, a top global business school based in Barcelona.  The 28 MAGNUM graduates of the Class of 2011 represent 13 countries and operations throughout the APM Terminals Global Port, Terminal and Inland Services Network, including natives of Brazil, India, Peru, Mexico, Honduras and Egypt.

“We are very excited about how these new MAGNUM graduates will help shape the future of our company and the future of our industry, as we pursue our goals to win new business and become the world’s leading port and terminal operator” said Fejfer, adding “Education opportunities and professional advancement are key part of our overall investment strategy”.

Chosen from applicants within the APM Terminals Global Port, Terminal and Inland Services Network through a rigorous selection process, the MAGNUM participants completed a three-module, intensive eight-month, multi-functional program featuring practical terminal hands-on training assignments and classroom work focusing on business applications to address the needs of the port and cargo transportation industry. Each module is completed in a different country in which APM Terminals has operations.

The ESADE partnership was established to introduce a stronger external component to the program, which has also been accelerated into an eight month curriculum, and includes completing management projects and field study at operating facilities.

“The opportunities of the high-growth markets will drive this industry in the next decade, and the MAGNUM program has given us the tools to build a new foundation for progress” said MAGNUM graduate Arturo Montero Guevara, a native of Mexico who works for APM Terminals Mexico, SA de CV.

The graduates have each received a Corporate Program for Management Development (CPMD®) certificate from ESADE as well as the MAGNUM (Management Training) diploma. The PMD coursework is designed for furthering the management and strategic planning skills that high-potential managers will require as their fast-track careers proceed. The APM Terminals-ESADE affiliation, which began in 2011, has been contracted for three years.

“To succeed in a global business, you need a truly global perspective” said MAGNUM graduate Sunil Verma, a native of India currently working as Head of Finance for APM Terminals Japan in Yokohama.

In a year where the number of cars carried between the UK and Continental Europe remained static compared to 2010, Stena Line transported an additional 5,000 cars to the Netherlands.

The operator, which introduced two new passenger-freight Superferries on the route in May and October 2010, grew its North Sea car volumes for the fourth consecutive year, reaching a total of 105,000.

The summer was particularly strong, with the operator carrying 15,000 cars per month in July and August and 13,000 in June (2,000 more than the same month in 2010).

Stena Line’s total passenger numbers from Harwich remained above half a million and stayed constant year-on-year, in line with trends of overall volumes travelling to Continental Europe from the UK by ferry and tunnel.

The summer was also the strongest period for overall passenger numbers, with 65,000 passengers travelling from Harwich to the Hook of Holland in August and 68,000 in July, the busiest month on the route since 2006 and 5 per cent more than the same month in 2010.

The biggest growth in volumes on the route was in the coach sector, where Stena Line experienced a 13.7 per cent year-on-year upsurge.

Lars Olsson, Stena Line’s general manager for travel on the North Sea, said, “The success of Stena Line’s North Sea operations in 2011 is particularly impressive given the challenging context both for the ferry industry and the UK travel industry as a whole

“We are pleased to have grown our car and coach traffic to Holland and sustained overall passenger numbers during a difficult year. It’s particularly important for Stena Line to have been successful in 2011 after having invested over £375m on new Superferries the previous year.

“We’re attributing some of the growth to an increase in large groups who are avoiding the high air passenger duty tax on UK flights. There have also been growing numbers of business and leisure passengers from East Anglia and London, using our overnight crossings for short trips where they get to travel in comfort whilst they sleep and take advantage of our wine and coffee bars, choice of restaurants, free WiFi, dedicated areas for children and teenagers and nine types of cabin.

“Stena Line expects a strong 2012 on the North Sea despite the ongoing challenging market conditions, notably thanks to outbound demand fuelled by large-scale Dutch events such as the return of Floriade, the 10-yearly international flower exhibition, and inbound demand stimulated by the Olympics.”

Stena Line operates twice-daily six-hour return crossings between Harwich and the Hook of Holland, with fares starting from £59 one-way for an adult and car.

Latin American container trade has been projected by Drewry Maritime Research to expand by 6.5% this year.  APM Terminals is committed to participate in the modernization of infrastructure in Latin America to support this growth:  “With over 550 million people and significant growth in seaborne trade, Latin America has unmet demand for access to the global logistics chain”, said APM Terminals CEO Kim Fejfer, adding “APM Terminals will pursue opportunities to facilitate trade and support economic growth”.     

The company operates container terminal facilities in Callao, Peru; Buenos Aires, Argentina and Itajai and Pecém both in Brazil.  Recently announced investments in Latin America by APM Terminals exceed USD 2.5 billion including construction of new facilities in Moin, Costa Rica; Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico and Santos, Brazil. 

The Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port in Russia closed for two days last week due to strong winds and freezing temperatures. Vessels arriving over the weekend had a one or two day wait to berth.

While relevant port authorities are working hard to keep shipping lanes open, vessels heading to Eastern Black Sea ports in Russia and the Ukraine can experience berthing delays.

Harbourmasters in Odessa, Ukraine, are demanding a letter of guarantee from owners and operators of non ice-classed ships, which confirms that they will honour higher port charges arising out of ice-breaking and increased tug deployment.

“Black Sea shipping is feeling the effects of the European chill, with shipments of oil and other commodities being delayed.  We are aware of several ships awaiting permission to enter Novorossiysk and of delays caused by slow progress through ice fields across the region,” said Kadir Kaya, Managing Director, ISS Turkey.